


Loki, Odin's Son

by Scotchkiss



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Asgardian Loki (Marvel), Canon Divergence - Thor (2011), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 11:28:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15484755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scotchkiss/pseuds/Scotchkiss
Summary: What it says in the title. Loki is actually Odin's son, not Laufey's. This is essentially a re-write of the first Thor movie.





	Loki, Odin's Son

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. It never made sense to me that, after nearly a thousand years, neither Loki, nor anyone else in the realm ever figured out that he was an entirely different species. 
> 
> 2\. It seems that letting your enemy in to steal a dangerous artifact would be a highly treasonous act. Since Loki is supposed to be very smart, it is illogical that he would let the Jotuns in to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters. First, he would be the main suspect, since he’s “so jealous” of Thor. Second, what would be he hope to achieve? Did he really think he would get away with it? It’s nonsensical to believe that Loki thought Odin would just let it go without investigating who did it. It seems very short sighted and a very un-Loki thing to do.
> 
> Not beta'd. All mistakes are my own, but the familiar characters belong to Marvel.

Odin realized he had made a mistake as soon as Thor entered the throne room. The insight hit him like a slap in the face. He thought his son had outgrown his arrogance and vanity. He was wrong. 

  
Thor preened and played to the crowd; he flirted; he winked. He hurried through his vows as King Regent without giving a thought to the gravity of what he was pledging. To him it was just another accolade.

  
There was only one last vow to make before Thor’s coronation was official. What a colossal fool Odin had been to think the boy ready!

  
Maybe it was the Norns’ intervention keeping him from making this now-obvious mistake of naming his eldest son to the throne because the Allfather suddenly felt an intrusion. Someone was in the weapons vault. What a relief to be able to leave the ceremony before it was complete

^^^^^

Odin and his two sons arrived to find that the Destroyer had killed the three Jotuns who had attempted to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters. But two Aesir guards had been killed before the Destroyer had completed its task.

  
Although it was a blessing that Thor had been kept from the throne before he was ready, Odin was still angry. Who would dare let these thieves in to disturb the ceremony? Odin suspected his youngest son may have conspired against Thor to ruin his big day. Loki’s tricks had gotten more malicious of late, and he had grown even more distant from both his parents as Thor’s coronation grew closer. Odin would need to find out what his youngest son knew about this treasonous mess before things truly got out of control. He needed to be taken firmly in hand.

But first Odin needed to assuage the would-be king. Thor was always so quick to anger, so eager for war. And now that his celebration had been disturbed, he was insufferable. The Allfather could see clearly now that he was still just a boy playing at being a king.

Once his son had been mollified, Odin turned to the task at hand. He and the Einherjar searched in vain for a secret way into the once thought impenetrable fortress. As they did, priests prepared the two guards’ bodies for their journeys to Valhalla. After several fruitless hours of trying to find out how the Jotuns entered his realm, Odin realized his sons had long since departed.

Thor was probably sulking, having been denied both glory and a fight. Loki could be anywhere. He had many hiding places. Too many for one who always pretended innocence. The library was a good place to start.

That’s where he found Loki, distractedly trying, and failing, to read. A guilty conscience perhaps?

“Loki, I would speak to you now,” Odin said. His tone was angry, but quiet.

“Yes, Father.”

Loki rose to join his father who had quickly left the library and was now practically stomping toward his private quarters. Loki trotted to catch up.

Neither spoke until they had reached the privacy of Odin’s quarters. The doors closed, and he rounded on his son in fury.

“Did you sneak the Jotuns into Asgard?” he yelled.

“No, Father. I did not!”

“Do not lie to me, Loki Odinson!”

“I swear I am not!”

“I understand you are jealous of Thor, but only one of you can be king, and Thor is first born. It is his birthright.”

Loki looked down at his feet and sighed.

“Yes,” he admitted, quietly. “I am sometimes jealous of Thor. The shadow he casts is large, and I usually get thrown aside in his wake. I will never have his strength, nor his fighting prowess. You have no idea how frustrating it is when he takes all the credit for himself and shares none of the glory when we share adventures.”

He raised his head and looked Odin squarely in the eye. “I have no desire to be king. I know it is Thor’s place, not mine. But I did not let those monsters in to the weapons vault.”

  
Odin cringed at his son’s use of the word monster.

“I want to believe you,” his father said, more in control of his emotions. “But you have earned a certain reputation for non-truths. Who else could have allowed the enemy to pass Heimdall’s all-seeing eyes but the one who can disappear from his Sight at will? I ask you one more time. Did you commit this treachery?”

“It was not me! I will swear on Gungnir, Father! Please, let me prove it to you. I am no traitor.”

Although his youngest seemed earnest, Odin knew better than to trust his word. He took up his staff and touched Loki’s head with the point. The world melted away as the two of them stood in a spectral bubble where it was impossible to speak anything but the Truth.

“Did you let the Frost Giants in to Asgard?” Odin asked.

"No, Father!"

 “Do you know who let them in?”

“No, my King.”

“Have you ever let any enemies of Asgard in to our Realm?”

“No. Never!”

“Have you always been loyal to me and this Realm?”

“Always, Father.”

Odin removed Gungnir from Loki’s temple, and the world reappeared around them. As his son looked hopefully into his father’s eye, the King laid a firm hand on his shoulder, removing it quickly.

“I am sorry for not believing you, my son. We do not want any rumors to get started. You know how the Court loves gossip.”

“I do indeed, having been the subject of many a false story.”

“Go find your brother,” Odin bade him. “He will be ill-tempered and irate. Do not let him do anything foolish!”

“I will do my best, Father,” Loki said with a bow, then briskly walked down the gallery toward the main banquet hall.

^^^^^

Volstagg shouted as the Frost Giant seized his arm, burning through his armor. “Don’t let them touch you!”

The battle raged as Thor, Loki, the Warriors Three, and the Lady Sif fought the Jotuns; they were hopelessly outnumbered.

 _How did this happen?_ Loki wondered. _I was supposed to keep Thor safe, and now we are on Jotunheim, fighting for our very lives._

He threw a knife at another Frost Giant, injuring it brutally before turning to the next one.

_Father will be so angry with me for not talking my brother out of this reckless fight. I am sure I will get all the blame for this excursion. Thor’s pride is going to get us all killed, and maybe sooner rather than later._

He heard Fandral shriek in pain. They had to retreat before they were picked off one by one. But Thor had blood lust and could neither see nor hear reason. All because he had been called a princess. The fool!

Loki tried to come up with a plan to get them all out reasonably unscathed, just as he had so often on their outings. But this was battle, not a mere skirmish with weaker beings.

He was so distracted that he realized too late that a Jotun had grabbed him. His armor disintegrated almost instantly, and his shoulder seared with the burning pain of ice. He cried out in agony before coming to his senses and striking his foe dead. He took several deep, gasping breaths trying to compartmentalize the pain so he could continue the combat.

Suddenly the ground shook, and a massive beast the likes of which they’d never before seen emerged from a frozen cliff. It was enormous, and it looked angry.

“Run!”

They took off toward the Bifrost site, running as quickly as possible. Hogun lead the way; Volstagg carried Fandral, moving quickly for a man his size, nearly catching up to Sif. Loki turned back to make sure Thor was behind him. He wasn’t.

“Thor! Please!” he begged. Then he, too, ran with the others, as the hideous monster bound toward them.

^^^^^

“I was protecting my home!” Thor screamed at his father as they all safely returned to Asgard.

“You can’t even protect your friends!” Odin screamed back. “To the healing rooms, all of you!” He gestured violently toward the Warriors and Sif.

Thor practically called the King a coward, as Odin countered, calling his own son “a vain, greedy, cruel boy!”

So caught up in their shouting match neither noticed as Loki stumbled to his knees behind them. They railed at each other for moments longer before Odin finally spotted his youngest, sitting in pain on the floor of the Bifrost, a nasty, blistering wound on his shoulder.

“Loki?” Odin questioned, stepping toward him and kneeling at his side. “You are injured. Why did you not go with the others to the healing room?”

“I was afraid of what the two of you might do to each other.”

“How came you to be injured, Brother?” Thor asked.

“I should have paid more attention. A Frost Giant grabbed my shoulder. He burned me.”

Odin looked startled. “That should not have happened.”

Thor agreed. “You are right. It should not. Loki tried to talk me out of going. I am sorry, Brother.” He looked mortified as he realized their father was right and that his vanity had caused his brother pain.

“I am sorry I was unable to convince you not to go, Thor. I failed you, Father.” Loki looked down, unable to meet their eyes.

Odin helped his son to his feet, and he swayed a little. Thor reached for him as well, but Odin rebuffed him.

“You will stay here and await my return, Thor Odinson.”

“Father, I—” he started.

The King snarled at him, and he stayed put, watching as his brother was ushered back to the palace.

^^^^^

Thor was banished to Migard. He had a lesson in humility and responsibility to learn. It was a difficult decision, but one Odin made, both as a King and as a father. Now he had another problem to manage.

He turned to Heimdall in anger.

“You know better than to let anyone on to Jotunheim, Gatekeeper! What possible reason could you have for allowing my son to start a war?!”

“I allowed my pride to rule me, Allfather,” he admitted. “I wanted to know who allowed the Jotuns in without me Seeing. Although I am quite sure I know who it was.”

“Do you? Because I do not!”

“Prince Loki is the only one who can hide himself from my Sight, my King. It could only have been him.”

Odin seethed with anger. “You accuse my son of treason, Heimdall?”

“Only because I am right.”

“As you yourself commit treason, you have the audacity to blame my son for the same? What proof have you?”

“I have no proof, but I am certain it was Loki.”

“ **Prince** Loki voluntarily swore his innocence and his allegiance on Gungnir just this afternoon. As you know, it is impossible to lie under its influence. He had nothing to do with the breach in our defenses. Of that, I am certain.”

The Gatekeeper looked both stunned and chagrined.

“Then who---”

“Who indeed?” the Allfather asked. “Since I cannot trust your Sight or your fidelity at this time, I am relieving you of your duties until I decide what to do with you. Do not leave your quarters until I send for you.”

Heimdall remove his helmet, hung his head, and walked slowly across the rainbow bridge toward the palace. Odin knew he would have to find an immediate replacement with a fresh war looming.

Frigga would be able to recommend the best seer in the land. They needed someone trustworthy and loyal. Someone who would See an oncoming attack.

He headed toward the healing room. He knew his wife would be at their son’s side.

^^^^^

He found Frigga standing at the head of the healing bed where Loki lay. Lady Eir was applying salves to the burn, which already appeared to be in the early stages of healing. Both women acknowledged the king.

“Lady Eir, how fares the prince?” Odin asked.

“He will heal completely,” she answered. “He will spend tonight here; I have placed him in a light, healing slumber. Tomorrow he can leave and should be fit for his duties in another day or two.”

“Excellent.” He turned to his wife. “I have urgent business to discuss with you at this time, my Queen.”

The pair exited the healing rooms quietly and made their way to Odin’s study.

“Odin, what has happened? Do you know who let the Jotuns in? Why were our sons on Jotenheim?”

Odin held up a hand to silence her.

“I know not who led the Jotuns to the weapons vault. I know it was not Loki. He swore on Gungnir it was not him. It was Thor and his damnable pride that led them to Jotenheim. And it was Heimdall who allowed them to go!”

The Queen first looked relieved that Loki had not caused any more mischief, then irritated that her oldest son’s arrogance had gotten her youngest son injured. But she was shocked that Heimdall had gone against their rule and allowed her boys to go to Jotenheim in the first place.

“Why would Heimdall—“

Odin interrupted her. “It was HIS damnable pride that caused him to open the Bifrost to them. Then he had the temerity to accuse our son of treason!”

He paced restlessly, still fuming over the entire situation. They should have been knee-deep in celebrations following Thor’s coronation by now.

“I have relieved the Gatekeeper of his duties until I decide what to do with him. In the meantime, I need your counsel on a suitable replacement. We are once again on the brink of war with Jotunheim.”

Frigga considered for a moment.

“Eydis would be well-suited,” she offered. “She is a powerful seer, but she can only See on this realm and slightly beyond. She has not Heimdall’s all-seeing eyes.”

Still thinking, she added, “Gunvor would also be an excellent choice. Her intuition has never been wrong. Perhaps the two of them together will keep us safe.”

Odin nodded, then went to the door and beckoned for the closest Einherjar, tasking the guard to bring both Eydis and Gunvor to his study to wait until he returned.

“Let us see to our son,” he said to Frigga.

^^^^^

After ensuring that Loki was indeed healing and was not likely to awaken before morning, the King and Queen went to Lady Eir’s office to speak quietly with the head healer.

“We are quite confused about Loki’s injury,” Frigga began. “We don’t understand how it came to be.”

Lady Eir looked puzzled. Surely, they knew a touch from a Frost Giant during battle would result in an ice burn.

“I am unclear about your confusion,” she stated. “Prince Loki was burned through his armor just as Volstagg was.”

“But he should not have been burned,” Odin stated.

Eir grappled for words. “I…Did you put an enchantment on him to protect him from Jotuns?”

“No, you misunderstand,” the King replied. “Loki IS a Jotun.”

The healer was shocked and said nothing, waiting for Odin to continue.

“I found him, a newly born babe, in the temple in Utgaroar at the end of the last battle with the Jotuns,” he explained. “He was, of course, very small for a Frost Giant, which is why, I assumed, he had been left there to die. By his markings I recognized he was Laufey’s son. He was a small, defenseless child, and I could not leave him there to suffer. As soon as I picked him up, he mimicked my Aesir skin. I realized then he was a shapeshifter, and a powerful one at that. I brought him back with me with the intention of one day using him to reunite our realms in peace. But the Lady Frigga took one look at him and fell in love.”

He placed his hand on his wife’s, and she smiled briefly at him.

“We quickly abandoned the idea of using him as a tool for peace and decided instead to raise him as our son. I placed a powerful spell on him to safeguard his true heritage to prevent him from taking a Jotun form. You are the only other person who knows the story of Loki’s birth. Now you can understand our confusion.”

Eir spoke carefully. “I do understand your bewilderment, Allfather. Despite the spell you placed on him, I would have discovered his Jotun lineage long ago while treating him for injuries and illnesses throughout his youth. The soul forge would have seen through the deception within minutes. I assure you, the prince is Aesir.”

“That cannot be,” the queen exclaimed.

“You must be mistaken, Lady Eir. An Aesir newborn could not have survived any length of time on Jotenheim. He was Jotun when I picked him up.”

“You said yourself, my King, that he is a powerful shapeshifter. Perhaps King Laufey was the last one to hold him, the one to place him in the temple. That could explain why the prince copied Laufey’s markings.”

The royal pair considered the news but remained certain that their adopted son was indeed a Frost Giant.

“Would you like me to run a test to verify his lineage?”

“Can you ensure Loki’s privacy in doing so?” asked the Queen.

“I guarantee no one will know what I am doing. In fact, I can test him now, while the healing room is empty. No one should be in there as he slumbers. Would you like to wait? It should only take a few minutes. The test is simple but is rarely used as it is not often needed.”

Odin nodded, and the Head Healer left.

The royal pair held hands, both hopeful and fearful of what they might soon find out. They knew the soul forge test existed, but they never had cause to request it. They knew for certain that Loki was Jotun.

The time passed slowly as each of them were lost in their own thoughts. Yet they continued to hold hands.

Lady Eir startled them as she returned. They looked at her expectantly as she re-took her seat.

“The test results are definitive. Prince Loki is half Aesir and half Vanir.”

“Like Thor,” Frigga exclaimed in joy.

Odin let out a long breath as though exhaling years of fear of what might happen should someone ever find out.

“And you are certain? There can be no mistake?” he asked.

“No mistake. I tested his blood, which, as you know, does not change no matter what form a shapeshifter takes.”

Odin put his head in his hands, and Frigga smiled, trying to hold back her tears of happiness.

“There is something else. Something you should know,” the healer said.

They both looked up at her with worry, afraid that their wonderful news was about to be spoiled by something dreadful.

“Prince Loki is your blood son, Odin King.”

The Allfather leapt to his feet.

“Impossible! I have never been unfaithful to my wife. Your test is wrong!”

“Yet it is not,” Eir offered. “I tested his blood on several soul forges and received the same result. He is your true son, my King.”

Odin sat back down heavily. He turned to his wife.

“I swear to you, my love. Never have I been unfaithful.”

“I trust you, my king,” she said. “But this is wonderful news! Loki is truly our son!”

This time she did not hold back her tears of joy.

Lady Eir cleared her throat.

“There is yet another piece of information that the soul forge revealed. Prince Loki is not only the Allfather’s son, but he is the Allmother’s nephew.”

Both king and queen drew a sharp breath of surprise.

“Vigdis!” Frigga stated with anger.

“Oh, my husband” she said quietly. “That makes sense. My sister Vigdis is a shapeshifter, too, and a gifted wielder of seidr. She has long been jealous of my union with you, thinking she should have been the one to marry you, not me. She could have tricked you into thinking you were lying with me. If she used seidr to guarantee a pregnancy, then it would explain why Loki possesses such power. To be born as a result of magic would make his seidr strong indeed.”

“But that is merely conjecture at this point and should be discussed more privately,” Odin admonished.

Frigga didn’t care. Loki was hers and Odin’s; she wanted to shout with joy. Of course, Asgard never had reason to suspect he was not their son by birth. It mattered not to her if Loki was born of deceit. No one would ever have cause to take him away!

^^^^^

After meeting with Eydis and Gunvor and ensuring their realm was safe for now, Odin returned to his private quarters to pace. So much news on this day. It had not turned out as he expected in the least.

His oldest son was banished to Midgard to learn a lesson in how to be a proper king; his gatekeeper and once-trusted friend had allowed Thor to start a war; Jotuns had somehow gained access into the weapons vault; and his youngest son was truly his son.

It was this last thought that brought him up short and stopped his pacing.

 _How many ways have I treated Loki differently?_ he pondered. _Even though I said he was my son and heir, I knew in my heart that he could never rule Asgard. Not as a Jotun. How I have slighted him! Treated him as less than Thor!_

He felt shame. His own blood, yet Odin had always kept him at arm’s length. He had let his own prejudice cloud the way his treated his son. He vowed to make things right with Loki, to finally be the father he deserved.

^^^^^

“You wanted to see me, Father?” Loki asked.

It had been three days since the disastrous battle on Jotenheim, and his shoulder had healed quickly. He had no lingering pain.

“My son, come in,” the king said with a smile.

Loki took a seat in front of the large desk in his father’s private study. He was rarely allowed in here. This room was reserved for official business like studying proposals, drafting decrees, and holding private meetings with diplomats and generals. Of course, Thor had been in here more and more frequently of late, owing to his now-doomed ascension to the throne.

“How do you fare, my son? Is your shoulder healed?” Odin asked congenially.

Loki looked at him warily. Why was the Allfather acting so cheerfully in his presence? Perhaps Thor was coming back already from his banishment, and the King was just happy his favored son was returning so soon.

“I am healed well, as Lady Eir predicted,” he said formally. He sat with his back straight in his chair and tried not to fidget or look around as he was so often admonished for doing.

Odin frowned slightly. _My own son can only related to me as a subject relates to his King._

“I am relieved to hear it, Loki. Your mother and I both worried about you.”

“Thank you, sir.” Again, he was starched and reserved.

Odin persevered.

“I wish your advice.”

Loki raised his eyebrows in shock.

“My advice? Why would you seek advice from me?” he asked, incredulously.

“Since you know how to walk between realms and know how to hide yourself when you do not wish to be Seen, I need to know if you are aware of anyone else who holds the same power.”

“I am aware of a couple of mages who have the ability to disappear from Sight. I do not know of anyone else with the ability to walk the Tree as I do. I know others have gone before me, but none that I have met.”

“Can you speculate on how someone could have slipped Jotuns into our kingdom?”

Loki considered the question thoughtfully.

“Presuming the Jotens themselves do not possess the ability to walk Yggdrasil’s branches, nor to hide from Sight, I assume that someone discovered or created a portal into the weapons vault and hid them until the timing was right. Whomever it was would have needed to know the precise timing of the coronation and knew all the kingdom would be in attendance and distracted. But it was probably someone who was not aware that the Destroyer resided therein. As such, I suspect a non-Aesir.”

“Your reasoning is sound,” Odin praised. “Do you know any who fits that description?”

“I do not want to accuse anyone unjustly. I know the damage that can cause.”

Odin reflected on how often he himself had accused Loki of exaggerations and lies, lies that turned out to be truths. He could not remember a time he had ever apologized for his mistaken indictments.

“I am sorry, Loki,” the King said, penitently.

“Father?”

“I have so often accused you of deceit that it became customary to assume the worst of you. I am sorry for not apologizing to you the many times I found out that you were, indeed, telling the truth. I promise from now on not to ever assume the worst in you. I have not been the father you needed or deserved. I humbly ask your forgiveness.”

Loki looked stunned. Surely this was a trick or test. Could it be that Thor was never coming back so the King needed to make amends with the spare heir?

“I—” Loki stumbled for words. “This…this is unexpected.”

Odin laughed gently.

“But it is sincere,” his father said.

“Then I forgive you.”

“Thank you, my son.”

Loki sat speechlessly for a moment, unsure of what had just happened. He would need to deliberate on this conversation further in private.

“Um,” he started. He silently chided himself for speaking so inelegantly.

“Fritjof, a Vanir,” he continued. “I suspect it may have been he who let in the Jotuns. He stayed in the capital for a few weeks to study in our library. I spoke to him a handful of times. He was very interested in seidr; he claimed to be only minimally gifted, but I could feel his magic sometimes. It was…jarring. Unpleasant. As a result, I tried to stay away from him as much as possible. He seemed obsessed with Yggdrasil and finding ways to travel her branches. I offered him no advice on the matter, but I saw him more than once studying her maps.”

“Is he still in Asgard?”

“I believe he left a few days prior to the coronation. I was so relieved not to find him in the library. His insincere flattery was nauseating, and his seidr felt off, almost malevolent.”

“I will have the Einherjar start searching Asgard for him immediately. Thank you, my son. I could not have done this without your knowledge.”

Loki inclined his head in acknowledgement.

“I would ask your assistance in another matter. I was unable to find the secret portal into the vault. Will you accompany me there now to try to find it?”

The Prince smiled. Although he was still wary of the King’s motivations, he was delighted to be able to spend more time with his father. It had been years since they had been able to pass more than a few minutes together, aside from mealtimes. This day was turning into quite a good one, despite all the calamities of the past few days.

They rose together, turning toward the door. But Loki stopped, remembering something.

“The Warriors and Sif requested I ask you to reconsider Thor’s banishment. I agreed to do so. And now I have.”

He turned back to the door. Odin put a hand on his arm to stop him.

“You don’t want your brother back?”

Loki wanted to say that, while he loved Thor, he was enjoying the attention he was now getting and the peace of not having him around.

Instead he said, “although I had nothing to do with interrupting his coronation, I am relieved it occurred. Thor has a tendency to act before thinking. I believe that is a bad trait for a king.”

“I appreciate your honesty.”

Odin draped his arm across his youngest son’s back, and together they headed down to the vault to search for answers.

^^^^^

“It is here,” Loki announced.

It had taken mere minutes for him to find the secret door. He’d spread his green seidr like a light mist that filled the entire room. The door appeared as a dark cavity behind one of the thick columns.

The King was very impressed with his son’s magic. He knew he had grown powerful, but he had no idea Loki possessed such aptitude. It was past time to encourage this ability. His potential during war or peace could be limitless. Perhaps they should start interviewing seidr tutors.

“Can you follow it back to where it starts?” the King asked.

“It is too risky. Whomever discovered this portal may have left traps behind. I would have,” he admitted.

“Then can you close it permanently?

“Yes, but…” Loki hesitated. “It could be perilous to mix my seidr, as strong as it will need to be, with the dangerous objects in here.”

“What if I warded the weapons with Gungnir? Would that allow you to close the door safely?”

Loki smiled. “Yes, father. That would be helpful.”

The Allfather cleared the vault of all Einherjar, but had them stay close outside the door, just in case something went wrong. He used his staff to put up a powerful force field across all the weapons. Once they were both certain it was strong enough and had no weak spots, Loki began the task of closing the portal.

It was tiring work for both of them. Loki had to concentrate diligently. One slip could cause a critical backlash of magic. Odin had to concentrate as well, assuring the ward he had cast stayed strong and whole.

After nearly three hours, Loki declared the door completely gone with no chance of it ever opening again. He wiped the sheen of sweat from his brow and turned to his father, who looked exhausted and frail.

Loki conjured a stool for him and sat him down on it gently.

“Would you like me to fetch a healer, father?”

“It will take more than holding a ward for a few hours to take me down,” Odin chuckled. “But you can walk me back to my quarters. I believe we have missed the evening meal, and I, for one, am famished.”

Smiling, Loki wrapped an arm around the King and stood him up. Together they walked up the stairs to the royal family’s private quarters.

“When did you get taller than me,” he asked his son, teasingly.

“It was quite a while ago,” Loki answered, soberly.

Odin stopped in the hallway. He realized yet again just how much he had lost by disregarding his son. What milestones had he dismissed? What accomplishments had he scorned in favor of Thor?

“I promise, Loki, things will be different from now on.”

“Why? What has changed?”

“I finally realized what an old fool I have been for dismissing you so often, for not seeing your value. You are intelligent, loyal, powerful, and thoughtful. I am proud to call you son.”

They continued to Odin’s rooms, both with smiles on their faces. After enjoying a quiet meal together, they bade each other a good night. Sleep came easily to them both.

^^^^^

Frigga and Odin spoke cheerfully after Loki had left them at breakfast. They decided it was not only time for the King to start valuing his son, but for the rest of the realm as well.

“We have a short meeting of the council this morning. I will have our son sit in on it as well. Asgard needs to see that Loki has much to offer. It may as well start with the elders.”

Frigga smiled broadly. She was delighted her husband had taken so well to the news of their youngest son and was heartened that he was taking steps to remedy their realms’ perception of him.

Less than an hour later, Loki sat to his father’s right, a spot often reserved for Thor, when he could be bothered to attend. Several of the council members looked at the young Prince disparagingly, but only when Odin’s focus was elsewhere. Only one of them, Njal, had the impudence to question why this young upstart was there.

“Is there a reason, Odin King, why you have brought this Silvertongue to our meeting?” he asked with a sneer.

The King looked at Njal with fury. “How dare you impugn my son’s character! As an heir to the throne, Loki has every right to be here. And you will take care how you address him.”

Njal looked affronted. “Your son has a reputation for being a liar! You cannot pretend he does not. It is commonly assumed around the realm that he is the one who let the Frost Giants in during Thor’s coronation.”

Gungnir was slammed on the table, making every council member around it jump.

“Father, if I may?” Loki said softly.

Odin inclined his head with permission.

“While I may have a certain reputation, as you put it, Lord Njal,” he started.

Njal scoffed.

“It has not often been earned,” he continued. “I swore my fealty to my King and my realm on Gungnir, just as you all did before taking your spot at this table. I will not publicly accuse those who have tarnished my character, as they are not here to defend themselves. However, as a Prince of Asgard, I will no longer sit idly by and allow people such as yourselves to continue to perpetuate this slight.”

He retook his seat. Unseen by the others, Loki winked at Odin, who smiled softly at him

The King rose. His attitude sobered, and he addressed the council once more.

“Loki Odinson is loyal to this realm. Henceforth, anyone who is found fabricating a lie to the contrary will feel the full weight of my wrath. This includes members of this council. I so proclaim. Njal, since you accused my son of treason and propaganda before my decree, you are excused from your impertinence. For now. But you are on warning. I will not hear the name ‘Silvertongue’ spoken about my son again. After this meeting I task each of you to spread word of Loki’s loyalty and devotion to the realm. Now let us attend to the business of the day.”

The council members all looked properly chastised. None of them wanted Odin’s ire directed at them.

The meeting continued as planned, with Loki adding a few insights here and there, things the council had never before considered. By the end of the meeting, several of the council members had grudgingly changed their minds about the young prince. They were surprised he was so knowledgeable about politics. He certainly had an edge over Thor in that department. And if he had indeed pledged his loyalty on Gungnir? Well that was good enough for many of them. Perhaps they truly had misjudged the young Odinson.

^^^^^

Hogun returned from his home realm of Vanaheim early the next morning. He had been ordered away by Odin the day after the battle on Jotunheim, as a time to reflect on his actions to see if he wanted to fight for Asgard instead of for Thor.

He brought news that Princess Vigdis, who was rarely seen in public these past few centuries, had just been spotted in the company of a mage named Fritijof, who practiced the dark art of black magic. So startling was this news that Hogun thought he should deliver the information immediately to Odin.

He found the King on his throne and delivered the update.

“Fritijof was a minor practitioner of seidr while I was still living on Vanaheim,” Hogun related. “He thought himself far more important and gifted than he really was. But when I returned a few days ago, it seemed the whole realm was talking about him and his great power. The gossip is that he recently came into possession of a dangerous artefact that has twisted his soul. Then yesterday, Princess Vigdis came out of her seclusion, walking through the capital city on the arm of non-other than Fritijof!”

Odin frowned. Vigdis could harm his family; Fritijof had already harmed his realm. The two of them in an alliance was very bad news.

“Thank you, Hogun. You may return to your quarters here.”

As the warrior left, the King departed as well, returning to the royal private quarters to discuss the news with his wife.

He found Frigga at her loom, weaving a marvelous new tapestry while wearing a smile of happiness and contentment. He was loathe to upset her, but this could not wait.

“Your sister has returned from her exile,” he began.

Immediately, the smile left his queen’s face.

“She has shown up in the company of the dark mage whom Loki suspects found a way into our vault.”

Calmly, but with purpose, she crossed to a locked cabinet and removed her scrying mirror. She sat down and began breathing deeply to clear her mind, her eyes closed. Odin always loved watching his wife when she used her Gift. She got such an intense look of serene determination on her face. She wore that look now.

After a minute of Looking, she spoke.

“Vigdis means our family harm. Her years of self-imposed solitude have made her bitter and angry. She has been driven mad by her desire for retaliation for her supposed slights. She has sought out a dark mage, Fritijof, to accomplish her goals. He, too, aims to hurt all of us. He possesses an object that will cause us pain, especially Loki.” She looked up in fear. “Loki is their target! Through him they both hope to destroy us!”

“Can you see their plan?”

“She wants to claim Loki as her son and take him away from us! And Fritijof plans to use…Norns! He has Uffe’s Staff. He plans to use it on Loki to turn him into some kind of monster! Together they mean to tear our son away from us and use him to destroy our entire family and Asgard as well!”

“Uffe’s Staff?” Odin questioned. “That is down in the weapons vault. I noticed nothing missing.” Then he realized, “the Jotuns in the vault were a distraction. Of course! Fritijof’s plan all along was to steal the Staff and replace it with a copy. Devious!”

“They will make their move soon, Husband. We must protect Loki.”

“By the Nines they will not so much as gaze upon his face! I will send Loki away where they cannot find him. Then I will crush them!”

^^^^^

Loki was distraught. His father had come to him and told him he had ten minutes to pack his belongings. He was being sent away. How foolish of him to think Odin actually cared for him. No doubt Thor was coming back and there was no room for another Odinson in the realm. He threw all of his things into his interdimensional pocket, taking little care of how they were dumped. He scrubbed at his face as his tears fell. No! He would not let that old man see him cry!

Once his room was empty of all his possessions, he opened the door and made his way to the Bifrost site. He held his head up high. He would not give them the satisfaction of seeing him defeated.

But there was no one to see him. He arrived at the Rainbow Bridge to find only Eydis and Gunvor. Not even his mother could be bothered to see him away. Eydis had started the Bifrost before he walked the last few steps.

“Quickly, Prince!” Gunvor said.

Obviously, they had been ordered to dump him as hastily as possible. He didn’t even get a chance to ask where he was being sent before he was swept away.

^^^^^

Heimdall watched Vigdis and Fritijof as they walked the branches of Yggdrasil. Odin King had given him this chance to prove his worthiness, and he would not fail him. He Saw as they approached a portal directly inside Loki’s private study.

Odin made a mental note to talk to Loki once this plot was foiled. He did not like the idea of his son having a portal to the outside in his rooms. It was too dangerous.

The Einherjar were waiting. They formed a circle around the spot where Heimdall approximated the pair would appear. Odin stood on a raised dais behind them with the Gatekeeper behind and to his left.

“They are at the door,” Heimdall informed him.

“Steady!” the King cried.

The spot the soldiers had surrounded shimmered briefly. Then two people appeared. Both the princess and the mage were stunned by what met them, and they tried to go back through the door from which they entered. A battery of spears blocked their path.

Fritijof raised Uffe’s Staff toward the closest soldier, but Odin used Gungnir to blow it from his hands. A second blast destroyed the grip of the Staff. The mage started whispering a spell, but one of the Einjerhar knocked his knees out from behind him. A second one quickly muzzled him. A third soldier pushed Vigdis forward toward the King.

“How dare you put your hands on me, you underling! I am a Princess of Vanaheim, and I will not be treated like this. I am your King’s sister-in-law!”

She spotted Odin and ran toward him, pretending to be a victim.

“Thank the Norns you saved me, my King! That creature kidnapped me and forced me here!”

Fritijof growled in protest through his muzzle.

“Save your breath, Lady Vigdis. I know what you and your consort have been plotting against me and my family. Take them to the dungeon. Separate cells.”

“Your family?” Vigdis laughed, cruelly. “Loki is MY son. You stole him from me. When you realized my sister could bear you no more children you laid with me so I could carry another heir for you. You promised to leave her for me after our son was born. You lied to me. You lied to your entire realm!”

“Vigdis, I will hear no more of your lies.”

The Einherjar moved to drag her and the mage away.

“Lies? You couldn’t tell one sister from another in bed,” she screamed. “I took our son to your enemy. One touch from Laufey and our son looked just like him. I let that blue monster place my baby in that temple on Jotenheim. Do you know why? So you would find YOUR son and kill him! Slay the evil Jotun beast. Then I would tell you that he was your son. That you’d murdered your own son!”

Odin stopped the procession of guards and prisoners. He faced his sister-in-law and asked her quietly, “What happened to you to turn you so vile? How could you even think of inventing such a loathsome story? Something that would hurt your own nephew? I pity you, Vigdis. But I will never forgive you.”

“Shall I muzzle her, as well, my King,” asked one of the Einherjar.

“No. Let her tell her hateful lies. No one can believe them. Let her screech until she is hoarse.”

He turned his back and walked away, as the princess screamed, retelling her story even louder. He knew that no one would believe her now. The Einherjar were the biggest gossips in the realm. The incident would be spread across Asgard before the night fell. The King’s family would receive sympathy. “The poor Queen,” they would say. “To suffer such a horrible sister.” “The poor Prince. Such vicious lies from his own aunt.” Vigdis would be the most hated person in the realm by morning.

“My King,” Heimdall said.

“You have helped foil a plot against my family. I thank you, Gatekeeper. I will allow you to return to your post. On probation.”

“Thank you, Odin King. But that is not why I stopped you. I cannot See Prince Loki.”

^^^^^

The first thing Loki did when he landed on this unknown realm was hide himself from Heimdall’s Sight. He would not let his disloyal parents know how wretched he felt. Not that they cared.

The place he was cast upon was hot, dry, and dirty. This realm was as wretched as Loki felt. Now what was he to do? He was a discarded prince. The spare heir. He had no use, no purpose. So he sat. In the middle of this vast filthy emptiness, he sat. And he seethed.

He didn’t know how much time had passed as he wallowed in his misery. He finally spotted some movement, off in the distance. Clouds of dust were rising from the surface of this abysmal realm. Probably a storm, he surmised.

As the dust clouds approached, some sort of transportation appeared beneath them. Several of them. Black, loud machines on wheels. They stopped just short of where the prince sat. Immediately, several Midardians jumped out, all pointing weapons at him. Damn. Earth.

One of the men moved closer toward him.

“I’m Agent Coulson of SHIELD. And you are?”

“Not impressed,” Loki answered. “Be gone with you, and leave me to my misery.”

“Looks like we’ve got another one, sir,” Coulson said quietly into his radio. “Apparently just fell out of the sky.”

“I’m afraid we can’t just leave you here,” the Agent addressed Loki again. “You’re going to need to come with us. We won’t hurt you. Promise.”

The Prince had no other prospects at the moment. He had no idea where on the realm he was or how the place worked. He would have to play the mortals’ games. For now. He nodded his head in compliance.

Coulson signaled the other agents who approached him cautiously, weapons still pointed at him.

“Are you armed?”

“I am sitting in the dirt in the middle of a Norn forsaken realm. Do I look armed?” Of course, he was armed, but his throwing knives were concealed. The mortals didn’t need to know that.

The SHIELD officers moved on him, picking him off the ground, cuffing him, arms behind his back, and loading him into a car. Coulson sat in the back seat with him.

“So how did you get here? I assume through the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, right?”

Loki had no idea what he was talking about. He wasn’t in the mood to play nice with the barbarians.

“If you already know, then why ask?”

Coulson chattered away for the rest of the drive, trying to draw him into a conversation,  
but Loki no longer responded. He had not been to Midgard in centuries. All he knew of its inhabitants was that they were a violent, backward people.

He would suffer them as long as he could. Then he would rain hell down on this realm. Since his father and all of Asgard always assumed the worst of him, he may as well live up to his reputation. His fury would know no bounds.

^^^^^

“What do you mean you cannot find my son?” Frigga was nearly hysterical. Her son had very nearly been taken from her, and now he was missing. “Did you not tell him to find Thor or stay close to the Bifrost site so we could retrieve him easily?”

“There was not time, my dear,” Odin said. “Your sister and that wretch were on their way to his rooms. We had to get Loki out of harm’s way immediately.”

“Why has he hidden himself?” She turned on her husband, suspicion clouding her face. “You did tell him we were coming back for him, did you not?”

“Of course, he knew.”

“Odin Borson. What, exactly, did you say to him when you told him we were sending him to Midgard?”

“I told him he needed to quickly pack his things. That we were sending him away to…oh no.”

Frigga scowled. Odin looked horrified.

“I told him we were sending him away, but I did not get to finish telling him we were coming back for him. I got interrupted and called away. Damn! He must think I banished him!”

“And neither of us were there to see him off to assuage his fears. He just starting to trust again! No wonder he has hidden. Oh, my poor boy!”

She turned to leave, then stopped, turned around, and slapped Odin. Hard. She turned back around and headed for the door.

“I am going to Midgard to bring my sons home,” she said.

The King stood with his mouth open and a hand on his stinging face.

^^^^^

Coulson and several armed guards led Loki to a small glassed in room with two chairs. It was the same room where Thor had been interviewed some days before.

Loki sat uncomfortably in the chair, his hands cuffed behind his back.

“Let me take those off so you’ll be more comfortable,” the Agent said.

The prince pulled his arms in front of him, cuffs dangling in one hand, and dropped them on the floor.

“That’s a neat trick. The other guy we had in here before didn’t do that.”

Loki ignored him. He looked around in distaste. “Is this realm always so hot?” His Asgardian clothing rippled before turning into typical Midardian clothing: a linen button-down shirt in emerald green and a pair of dark slacks. He had seen several of the men wearing similar forms of clothing as he was led there. He mimicked their attire while keeping his standard colors.

“That’s better.”

Coulson backed up, maintaining his composure. “I’ve never quite seen anything like that. Care to share how you did it?”

“I grow weary of your questions. What is the purpose of this place?” he asked. He stood, waved his hand, and the door to the interrogation room opened to him.

Coulson quickly tagged behind him as well as several guards, all with weapons pointing at him.

“I would prefer you stay where we put you, if you don’t mind.” The Agent was trying to keep a handle on the situation before it escalated. He signaled to the armed men to stay alert, but not to engage. Yet.

“I do mind. What is going on in here?”

Loki entered a room where several engineers sat in front of their computers, data flowing across the screens. The researchers closest to the door scooted away cautiously as soon as he arrived.

“They’re researching the Einstein-Rosen Bridge. Now I really must insist you return.”

The prince flicked his hand as exited the room. As he did so, all computers in the compound shut down. He walked in the opposite direction from where he started, down a long hallway of white tenting material.

Yells of distress, anger, and disbelief could be heard throughout the complex as massive amounts of data were lost.

More soldiers gathered around the detainee, who had showed no aggression so far, unless you counted the murder of extremely expensive electronic equipment.

Loki rounded a curve and saw an opening in the breezeway. There, down a set of steps sitting on top of a mound of dirt, was his brother’s prized possession.

“Mjolnir.”

He approached it but didn’t bother to try to lift it. About two dozen SHIELD soldiers surrounded him.

“You’re familiar with it? Mjolnir. That’s what the other guy called it. I guess you know him.”

“Large, blonde, and dumb?” Loki asked.

“So you do know him,” Coulson replied.

Loki smirked in spite of himself.

“Look we need some answers and fast. We don’t want to hurt you, but…”

“Is that why your man has an arrow pointed at my head?” Loki looked Coulson in the eyes, but his left hand was pointed up, directly at Agent Barton, who was in a crow’s nest and did, indeed, have an arrow pointed at Loki’s head.

“I am not in the mood to play your games any longer,” he continued. “I would much rather play my own games.”

Then he simply disappeared.

^^^^^

An SUV drove through the desert toward the Bifrost site. Darcy Lewis was driving; Dr. Jane Foster was navigating; and Thor sat in the back, enjoying the novelty of being bounced around.

“The wormhole activated a few hours ago,” Jane said. “If we’re lucky, we can find some residual energy.”

“And maybe hit another hunky guy with our car,” Darcy added. “What? You got the last one. Maybe one will appear out of thin air for me!”

Almost on cue, the Bifrost activated nearly in front of them. This time, however, Darcy stopped in time. As the dust cleared, a tall, elegant woman appeared.

“Mother!”

Thor jumped from the vehicle and ran toward Frigga. He very nearly forgot himself and pulled her into a tight hug before remembering he was a Prince of Asgard first and a son second. He stopped and bowed. “My Queen.”

“Thor!” she said, as she pulled him into a tight hug. “I have missed you so much! How fare you?”

“I am well. I am so happy to see you.” He turned to the two women who were walking up behind him. “This is the Lady Jane and the Lady Darcy. They…”

Frigga vaguely nodded her head at them before interrupting. “Where is your brother?”

“Loki? He is not here. Is he not still on Asgard?”

“My sister Vigdis aligned with a dark mage, the one who spoiled your coronation. Together they had planned to kidnap your brother and do him harm. They have been thwarted and await trial, but we sent Loki here to you for his safe keeping. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, he likely thinks he has been cast out. We must find him quickly. He is certainly upset, and you know what your brother is capable of when he lashes out.”

Some miles away they heard an explosion. Then another.

“Loki!” Thor stated. “Come, Mother, Lady Jane. We must find my brother before harm befalls anyone.”

They loaded into the SUV and headed across the desert toward the location of the explosions. Jane had a suspicion the explosions had come from the SHIELD compound.

^^^^^

Loki stood on the rise outside of the compound fence. He felt his rage building. Why would he always come second to Thor? Why would his parents never love him? How could they cruelly make him think he was wanted, only to toss him away like unwanted trash? Why was he never good enough?

He screamed in pain, and every window in every vehicle parked within the compound shattered.

He enjoyed the release of his destruction. It felt good to let it out. He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and the car closest to him crumpled into a ball. He raised his other hand and did the same to a transport truck, causing its gas tank to detonate. Over and over again, he mangled vehicle after vehicle. Several exploded satisfactorily. Some he slammed together, twisting them into unrecognizable lumps of steel and rubber. Others he flung away, watching them crash loudly onto the desert.

Finally there were no more cars to destroy. His rage was spent. Loki sat down heavily on the knoll, breathing hard.

“Can you still see him, Agent Barton,” Coulson asked over the radio.

“Affirmative,” Hawkeye answered. He was still in his crow’s nest, watching Loki through his binoculars.

“What’s he doing now?”

“He’s sitting and…That’s it. Just sitting, sir.”

“Do you have a shot?” Coulson asked.

“Affirmative.”

“Take it.”

Agent Barton fired his arrow straight at Loki.

^^^^^

The SUV pulled up to the gate outside the SHIELD compound. Behind the gate lay chunks of twisted, smoking metal, some with tires still smoldering.

“You’ll have to turn back around, ma’am. This is a restricted area,” the soldier said.

“My name is Dr. Jane Foster,” she said from the passenger seat. “We need to see Agent Coulson right away.”

“No outsider personnel are allowed,” he argued.

“I believe you have my son in there,” said a woman’s cultured voice from the back seat. “You will allow us passage so I may see him.”

The soldier paused for a moment, deciding on what to do.

“Dude,” Darcy said. “You’ve kidnapped a prince. You don’t want to start an intergalactic war, do you?

He pulled out his radio.

“Agent Coulson? Sir, Dr. Jane Foster and a woman who says we have her son are here to see you. What should I do?”

“Escort them in.”

The party of four were guided inside the tent city and taken to a conference room. Coulson came in right behind them. He recognized Foster, her assistant, and the big guy who had taken down several of his men. The other woman looked regal. She was definitely not from around here.

“Dr. Foster. Ms. Lewis. ‘Donald,’” he began. “I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.” He turned to Frigga.

“Son of Coul, this is my mother, Queen Frigga of Asgard. We are here for my brother, Loki. We saw the destruction outside. He has been here. Yes?”

“Loki. Is that his name? He threw quite a tantrum earlier.”

“There was a great misunderstanding on our realm, Son of Coul,” Frigga explained. “We were trying to protect Loki from an evil plot, but Odin managed to make him think we were banishing him like we did Thor.”

“Wait just a minute. Thor? Odin? Loki?” the Agent asked. “You have got to be kidding. Look, I don’t know who you people are, but I’ve had just about enough shenanigans for today. Agents, take them to lock down.”

Thor roared and started to grab the first agent, but Frigga put a hand on his shoulder. “Thor. Stop.”

He calmed down instantly.

“I assure you, Son of Coul, that we mean no harm. I simply wish to collect my sons and return to our home. Do you require recompense? Would that see us clear to depart?”

“It’s Coulson, ma’am. And I don’t think you have the kind of money it would take to compensate us for the amount of damage your son, or whomever he is, caused.”

“May I at least see my son? I pledge we will cause no more damage or cause any more trouble. You have my word as Queen.”

She was awfully convincing. Coulson had no idea why he agreed, but here he was, guiding the guy she called Thor and a so-called queen to see the man who took out all their equipment and vehicles without laying a finger on any of them. Dr. Foster and Ms. Lewis stayed behind in the conference room.

The Agent unlocked a solid, heavy door, led them inside an ante chamber, and unlocked another door, this one of sturdy bullet proof glass. There on a gurney, secured with three straps and two chains, for good measure, was Loki. He was either asleep or unconscious.

“What have you done with him?” Frigga asked. She put a hand on her youngest son’s face. He was warm.

“We tranquilized him. For our safety. He’ll wake up some time tomorrow.”

Coulson backed out stealthily and locked the first door, keeping the three “royals” inside.

“Sorry, but you’re all threats to this operation,” he told them through the glass. “You’ll be staying here as our guests until I get answers.”

He went through the other, more solid door and locked it.

“I will get us out of here, Mother,” Thor said. He was about to throw himself at the door.

“Thor. Please, don’t. Heimdall,” she said, as she looked up toward the ceiling. “If you can bring us all back without causing any damage to these mortals, this would be a good time.”

The Bifrost opened above them, and Frigga, Thor, and Loki, still on his gurney, rode skyward.

“Thank you, Heimdall,” the queen said. “I am glad to see you where you belong. I do hope you will no longer be unduly accusing my son of improprieties.”

“No, my Queen. Odin King has schooled me on how we are to treat the young Prince from now on. No more false accusations.”

“Good. Thor, remove your brother from this bed. We will take him to the healing room.”

Thor ripped the chains and straps from the gurney and carefully lifted the still unconscious Loki into his arms. They started the long walk toward the city.

“Mother, what about Mjolnir?”

“Forget your hammer, son. The King will retrieve it.”

“But what of Lady Jane? I did not get to say goodbye.”

“We will discuss the mortal woman later. Let us first attend to your brother. He has had a horrible time of late.”

“But what of me?” her eldest whined. “I have had a horrible time, too!”

Frigga stopped and turned to him. She’d had a long day. Her evil sister had returned to wreak havoc on her family, and her youngest son had thought he had been rejected. Her temper was short.

“Thor! You are the author of your own misdeeds. Loki did nothing to deserve what he endured. Now let us get him to the palace. Then you will go straight to your father.”

The oldest prince hung his head and resumed his trek to the palace. He was fairly certain his punishment for nearly starting a war was likely not over as he had hoped.

^^^^^

Loki awoke on a soft bed. It was not his own bed, but it was comfortable. He had a dull ache in his shoulder. He vaguely remembered being hit with something powerful and sharp. Then it all rushed back to him. His rejection. Being disowned by his parents. His banishment to Midgard. His misery.

His eyes opened instantly, and he was shocked to realize he was in the healing wing in the palace on Asgard. He was home! _No, best not think of it as home any longer_ , he thought. _This is probably just another cruel trick._

“Welcome back, my son,” Odin said.

Loki turned his head to see his father and mother sitting next to his bed. He narrowed his eyes and scowled at them.

“What spiteful ruse is this?” he asked them. “Casting me out only to bring me back to heal me? I never knew you could both be so callous. What realm am I to be discarded to this time?”

“Loki,” his mother said gently. “Please let your father explain.”

“I need no explanations,” he said angrily. “I have heard the phrase ‘spare heir’ plenty enough times to grasp that I am no longer necessary here.” He turned his head away from them.

“My son,” Odin began. “I failed you yet again. Just as I had been granted your forgiveness for my past transgressions against you, I disappointed you again. I am very sorry for not explaining properly when I told you to pack your things. Your life was in danger. I needed to get you out of harm’s way.”

“Then why not just tell me that?”

“I made a mess of how I told you. We had uncovered a plot to kidnap and harm you. The perpetrators were on their way to carry out their plan. I assumed that, since we had made the first steps toward repairing our relationship, you would understand that I was not sending you away permanently but sending you away temporarily while we kept you safe. I am so sorry, Loki. Sorry for not providing you with a proper explanation. Sorry for causing you pain. Sorry for giving you reason to doubt my love for you. Again.”

Loki turned back to face them. He studied Odin, looking for sincerity. Then he looked into Frigga’s eyes. He saw pain there. But he also saw love.

“Then you have not disowned me?”

“No, my son. Never.” Odin placed his hand gently on his son’s face. “I could no sooner turn my back on you than I could count the stars in the sky. I pledge my devotion to you always. Even to my last breath. I love you.”

“Truly?”

“Truly,” his mother answered.

Loki sat up in bed and reached for them both. Odin and Frigga wrapped their arms around him tightly.

Loki was home.

He was loved.

 

FIN


End file.
